How are the mental health professions legally regulated?
The law of 10 May 2015 on the practising of health care professions (LHCP) contains the regulations for the following mental health professions:
- clinical psychologists (article 68/1)
- clinical educationalists (article 68/2)
- psychotherapy practitioners (article 68/2/1).
This means that all regulations concerning quality and safety set out in the law are also automatically valid for these professions. The Patient Charter Act of 22 August 2002 also applies.
When do the regulations come into force?
On the 1st September 2016. From then on, all rights and obligations described in the law of 10 May 2015 will apply to clinical psychologists, clinical educationalists and psychotherapy practitioners.
FAQs:
What are the requirements for being registered as a clinical psychologist?
- Holder of a university degree in clinical psychology, comprising training in full-time education for at least five years or totalling 300 ECTS.
- Holder of a psychology degree, but not in clinical psychology, obtained before the 1th of September 2016 who is able to demonstrate at least three years of professional experience in clinical psychology.
How can I obtain approval as a clinical psychologist?
Registration of health care professions has been a Community competency since the 1st of July 2014. You can contact:
- the Federation Wallonia-Brussels for French-speaking cases
- the German-Speaking Community for German-speaking cases
- the Zorg en Gezondheid Agency for Dutch-speaking cases.
At the moment you cannot yet request registration since the approval criteria for clinical psychologists still have to be defined by Royal Decree, based on the recommendations of the Federal Council of Mental Health Professions. The necessary measures are currently being taken to set up this council. We advise you to come back to this page to follow the latest developments.
Who can practise as a clinical psychologist?
- Approved clinical psychologists.
- Approved clinical educationalists who can demonstrate sufficient knowledge of clinical psychology.
What are the requirements for practising clinical psychology?
- Holder of registration
- Holder of a visa, which you should request from the FPS Public Health
- Have followed professional on-the-job training in an approved on-the-job training programme, under the supervision of an approved training instructor. This requirement does not apply to:
- clinical psychologists already practising the profession of clinical psychology on the 1st of September 2016
- clinical psychology students starting their studies during the 2016-2017 academic year at the latest.
What are the requirements for being registered as a clinical educationalist?
Holder of a university diploma in clinical educational sciences, comprising training in full-time education for at least five years or totalling 300 ECTS.
How can I become registered as a clinical educationalist?
Registration of health care professions has been a Community matter since the 1st of July 2014. You can contact:
- the Federation Wallonia-Brussels for French-speaking cases
- the German-speaking Community for German-speaking cases
- the Zorg en Gezondheid Agency for Dutch-speaking cases
At the moment you cannot yet request registration since first of all the approval criteria for clinical educationalists still have to be defined by Royal Decree, based on the recommendations of the Federal Council of Mental Health Professions. The necessary measures are currently being taken to set up this council. We advise you to come back to this page to follow the latest developments.
Who can practise as a clinical educationalist?
- Registered clinical educationalists
- Registered clinical educationalists who can demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the field of clinical educational science.
What are the requirements for practising as a clinical educational psychologist?
- Holder of registration
- Holder of a visa, which you should request from the FPS Public Health
- Have completed professional on-the-job training in an approved on-the-job training programme, under the supervision of an approved training instructor. This requirement does not apply to:
- clinical educationalists already practising the profession of clinical educationalist on the 1th of September 2016
- clinical educationalist students starting their studies during the 2016-2017 academic year at the latest.
Do psychotherapists have to be registered and, if so, what are the requirements?
Psychotherapy is defined as a form of mental health care treatment and not as a specific health care profession requiring registration. Psychotherapy can only be practised by people who already have a professional qualification and meet a series of requirements (see below).
Who can practise psychotherapy?
There is a distinction between two groups:
- Those who start their studies in the 2017-2018 academic year onwards should meet the following requirements:
- hold registration as a physician, clinical psychologist or clinical educationalist;
- have followed additional training in psychotherapy totalling at least 70 ECTS at a university or college of higher education;
- have followed professional on-the-job training for at least two years full-time in the field of psychotherapy (or equivalent in the event of practising part-time). - Those who are already practising as psychotherapists or who started their studies by the 2016-2017 academic year at the latest have acquired rights.
These acquired rights apply to those who hold a health care professional qualification (LHCP qualification) and to those who do not hold a health care professional qualification (no LHCP qualification). There is a difference concerning practice, depending on whether or not the psychotherapy practitioner has this qualification (see below).
What acquired rights apply if I am already practising as a psychotherapist or if I started my studies in 2016 at the latest? (also see diagram)
There are three categories of acquired rights:
- Those who completed their studies at the latest during the 2015-2016 academic year. They can (continue to) practise psychotherapy if:
- they have a LHCP qualification or a non-LHCP qualification of at least bachelor’s degree level;
- they have successfully completed specific training in psychotherapy.
- they can provide proof, by the 1th September of 2018 at the latest, that they have practised psychotherapy. - Those who start specific training in psychotherapy during the 2016-2017 academic year at the latest. They can (continue to) practise psychotherapy if:
- they have a LHCP qualification or a non-LHCP qualification of at least bachelor’s degree level;
- they have successfully completed specific training in psychotherapy. - Those who start training at bachelor degree level at the latest during the 2016-2017 academic year. They can practise psychotherapy if:
- they have a LHCP qualification or a non-LHCP qualification of at least bachelor’s degree level;
- they have successfully completed specific training in psychotherapy;
- they have completed at least two years’ professional on-the-job training in the field of psychotherapy.
Can I continue to practise psychotherapy if I have a professional health care qualification (LHCP qualification)?
Those who have a professional health care qualification defined by the law of 10 May 2015 and who benefit from acquired rights can (continue to) practise psychotherapy autonomously.
Can I continue to practise psychotherapy if I do not have a professional health care qualification (non-LHCP qualification) ?
Those who do not have a professional health care qualification and who benefit from acquired rights can carry out psychotherapeutic actions only under the supervision of an autonomous psychotherapy practitioner, in an interdisciplinary context, with regular supervision between colleagues.
Is a specific visa required to practise psychotherapy?
No specific visa is required to practise psychotherapy. Psychotherapy practitioners who have a professional health care qualification already have a visa corresponding to their professional qualification.
